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Jazzin' Reports:Jazzin' Reports:Puerto ricoPuerto ricoheineken Jazzheineken JazzFestivalFestival

CD Reviews: Furito Rios, Rie Akagi,

Elias Santos Celpa

Jazzin'Puerto Rico Jazz Guide

Issue 3/April 2015

How you started in music? It was the sax your firstinstrument? My first instrument was the Sax and theBassoon. I studied Bassoon at the Escuela Librede Música with Professor López Olmedo. Hewas the second Bassoon in the Puerto RicoSymphony Orchestra. I also studied flute andclarinet. And back then were you already familiar withjazz? No, I was in 8th grade when I played in a groupwith students older than me. Two of the guysin the group listened to jazz and theyintroduced me to stuff like Dexter Gordon,Sonny Rollins, Parker. When you read music you think you can playanything. But when I listened to Parker I said,what is this? It was like someone took me toanother planet or galaxy. So I started buyingand collecting jazz records. That was back in1981-82. From there I went to play with my teacher themusic of Joe Valle. There I was,15 or 16 yearsold, playing with musicians so much older thanme. People called me to different work,including a lot of Merengue.

And then I got into the groupof Elias Lopes.That was a great school. It was a school on howto play properly and on how to follow a leader. From there I went to play with Bobby Valentin.That was in 1984-85, I was still in high school. Did you recorded with him? Yes, I recorded La Novia Automática andanother record I can't remember the tittle rightnow. When I got out of Bobby Valentin group, Iworked with Cano Estremera when he wentsolo. From there to Berklee where I stayed forabout 9 months. It was hard because I wasaccustomed to work and have money, so whenI received a call to work in Las Vegas I leftBerklee and went to Vegas. The experiencethere was so different because they treated usmusicians like we were doctors or attorneys.But the show closed due to a sue by themusicians union, so I came back to Puerto Rico.And with the money I received from the union Ibought a car. In Puerto Rico I did all the shows with popularmusic artists, like Sophy, Lucecita, GlennMonroig, Paloma SanBasilio, Rocío Dúrcal,Roberto Carlos, José José, Marco AntonioMuñiz, etc. Most of the time in Bellas Artes. Iwas also doing. A lot of commercial jingles,there was a lot of work back then. That was the

JAZZIN' INTERVIEW:JAZZIN' INTERVIEW: FURITO RIOSFURITO RIOS

JAZZIN' INTERVIEW:JAZZIN' INTERVIEW: FURITO RIOSFURITO RIOS The musicians session when I was doingjingles were guys like Tommy Villarini, AndyMachado, Rafy Torres. Again all of them 10years or more older, and they were the oneswho recommended me to others gigs andwork Who were your jazz influences? Coltrane, Rollins, Parker, Ornette Coleman. Do you remember the first jazz record youbought? It was either a Benny Goodman or a MaynardFerguson record.. When did you start your own jazz group? In the 90's started what It is now the Puerto RicoHeineken Jazz Fest, it was called the San Juan JazzFest. In those years Pablito Rosario, the one whodid the timbal solo on Larry Harlow Hommy,came to Puerto Rico and told me he wanted tocreate a group. The name of the group wasOrinoco and we played in the first San Juan JazzFest at Plaza Dársenas. In the 90's I felt the need to do my own thing. In1993 I finally decided to record my own music in1995 but It was until 2000 that the record cameout. From the first Fest until 2000 I played in eachedition of the Puerto Rico Jazz Fest, either withmy group or with others like Giovanni Hidalgo,Tito Puente, Dianne Schurr. I also was part of theHeineken Jazz Tour around the island. In 2000 i decided to do another Jazz Fest. First wedid something in San Juan similar to what is nowAdoquín Jammin Nights and Ventana al Jazz, itwas called Jazzeando en la Plaza. From that camethe Boriken Jazz Festival. The 5 editions of theFest included and in some cases launched thecareers of some of the best musicians from PuertoRico; Giovanni Hidalgo, Papo Vazquez, Paoli

Mejias, Henry Cole, David Sánchez, Miguel Zenon,Ángel David Mattos, Luis Perico Ortiz, PedroGuzmán, Jerry González. Besides your own recordings, which include therecordings of the Boriken Jazz Fest and the mostrecently Standard Bomba. You also participated inDescarga Boricua? Yes, that was an amazing recording. On your record Standard Bomba you fused Bombaand Jazz. Tell me more about Standard Bomba. Like you said it is a fusion of jazz standards withPuerto Rico folk music Bomba. And It comesnaturally cause the roots for both comes fromÁfrica. Future projects? Standard Bomba 2. Because the first one was a hit,at least in theory. I expect the fusion of PuertoRican music and Jazz to be the future of jazz inPuerto Rico.

Jazzin Restaurant Feature: Don Pepe RestaurantJazzin Magazine Interviews Don Pepe Restaurant Owner EddieOlmedoJazzin: How long has been since you opened Don Pepe Restaurant?Eddie Olmedo: 12 years, since December 3, 2003 Jazzin: Did you have restaurant experience before openning Don Pepe?EO: Yes, I worked in a mexican restaurant as a Manager. One day a friend told me there was alocal available in Río Grande, and he wanted to do something as a partner. So we opened therestaurant and were partners for 6 years, then I bought his part of the business. Jazzin: Whose idea was the concept and name of the restaurant?EO: It was his idea and the name was here before we got the restaurant. It belonged to a familyfrom Río Grande. They had a mexican restaurant in the second floor. We decided to keep thename due to the recognition it already had here in Río Grande. The restaurant was closed forabout 12 or 15 years. We reconstructed the first floor. Kept the mexican menu, but slowly madethe transition to a menu and the decor mostly of Puerto Rican theme and food. Jazzin: What's the specialty of the restaurant?EO: Rice with churrasco, paella, mofongos, pork chops, different kinds of fish. Jazzin: How is the business?EO: Good. And getting better as people get to know us. We get people from all over the island.And of course the tourists from the nearby hotels, The Wyndham, Gran Meliá, and ElConquistador. Jazzin: So the restaurant have two floors. Whats the capacity?EO: We can accomodate 40 people in the 1st floor and 60 in the 2nd floor. Plus We are adding aterrace were we may accomodate 40 more. Jazzin: Let's talk about the drinks. I see you have a good wine selection.EO: Yes. Wines is one of strenghts. We have about 100 different kind of wines, and now we aregetting into whiskys. People may find some of the best whiskys here at Don Pepe.That's part of the image we want to project, a family place with the finest food and drinks.

Jazzin: Which areas would you like to highlight about Don Pepe Restaurant?EO: Quality and service. Our goal is that the client is satisfied, wants to come back andpromotes the restaurant. Jazzin When did you started offering live music?EO: We did something with Charlie Sepulveda 8 years ago. Later we brought some musicians toplay some days and clients called and always asked who were playing. So we kept adding livemusic and now we have music wednesdays through sundays.Wednesdays is latín jazz, most of the time with Cachiro Thompson Latín Jazz Trio, thursdays wehave Saxophonist Sammy Garcia, friday and saturday varios artists with Nueva Trova andsundays bohemia. Wednesdays through saturday the music starts at 8pm and sundays at 4pm. Jazzin: Do you personally like jazz music?EO: Sure. First I listened mostly salsa music but slowly got into jazz. Eddie Palmieri is muyfavorite. I was lucky to meet him in person when Charlie Sepulveda brought him here to therestaurant

PUERTO RICO

HEINEKEN JAZZ FEST

25TH ANNIVERSARY

Four days of celebration withsome of the best internationaland local jazz musicians, the25th anniversary of the PRHeineken Jazz Fest included adiversity of styles for the jazzaficionados. The first day started with thelatin jazz of trumpeter JulitoAlvarado in the themes Punto deEnfoque, Vacations, Changes,Mambo Loco, Para Un Corazón,Mi Pueblo y Pal’ Barrio de SanAntón. Julito Alvarado’s Bandincluded pianist Emanuel Rivera,percussionist Enrique Serrano,drummer Francisco Alcalá,bassist Giovanni Ortiz,trombonist Eliut Cintrón andWilliam “Kachiro” Thompson oncongas. Millo Torres and his fusion ofreggae, pop, and jazz in thethemes Monty AlexanderStrawberry Hill, Bob MarleyHeathen, Wess MontgomeryBock to Bock, Milt Jackson TheHarem the original compositionMe Gustas Como Quiera closedthe first day of the fest. The fest second day marked thereturn of Puerto Rico native andinternational recognizedsaxophonists David Sanchez.Sanchez and his quintet bassistRicky Rodríguez, pianist FabiánAlmazán, drummer AntonioSánchez and percussionst JhanLee Aponte left the audiencemore than satisfied with his jazz

compositions “Ay Bendito”,“Mirage” y “Morning Mist” andhis tribute to Cheo Feliciano “Mitriste problema”. Sanchez was followed by jazzlegend bassist and one of themore prolific musicians fromPuerto Rico, Eddie Gomez.Gomez was accompanied bysaxophonist Javon Jackson,pianist Michael Birnbaum andanother jazz legend on drums,Jimmy Cobb. Gomez and hisgroup played some jazz classicslike “Walkin”, “Stella byStarlight, “Love Letter/ IThought About You” y ‘Solar”. The night closed with the musicexplosion and pure intensity ofVolcán, pianist GonzaloRubalcaba, percussionistGiovanni Hidalgo,drummerHoracio “El Negro” Hernándezand bassist José Armando Gola. The third night was the morediverse one, starting with theclassic jazz of Larry Monroe &Donna McElroy Nonet. BerkleeCollege saxophonist andeducator Larry Monroealongside the amazing singerDonna McElroy and PuertoRican saxophonist and recentBerklee student Edmar Colón. The always passionate pianistMichel Camilo followed with agroup of Master musiciansincluding drummer Dafnis

Prieto and trombonist ConradHerwig. Bassist Abraham Laboriel andhis smooth jazz was the closingact of the night. Another Puerto Rico Jazz Legendwas in charged of opening thelast night of the PRHJF, pianistEddie Palmieri. Palmieri latinrhythms gave way to the feelingof bassist Giovanni Tommasoand ended with a true musiccelebration, the Puerto RicoHeineken All-Star; director/pianist Michel Camilo reunitedon stage Eddie Palmieri, EddieGómez, Abraham Laboriel,Giovanni Tommaso, LarryMonroe, Arturo Sandoval,Giovanni Hidalgo, DavidSánchez, William Cepeda, JorgeLaboy, Antonio Sánchez, DafnisPrieto, Conrad Herwig, JulitoAlvarado and Edmar Colón..

Wilbert Sostre

Four days of celebrationwith some of the bestinternational and local jazzmusicians

PUERTO RICOMUSICCONSERVATORYJAZZ FESTIVAL The Music Conservatory Jazz Festivalis more than a Jazz Fest, is aeducational event. The festival alwaysincludes music seminars and this yearstarted with a reunion of trumpetersDavid Piro Rodriguez, HumbertoRamirez, Fernando Marcano, RichieSegarra, Angelito Hernandez, JoseitoRuiz, José Maneco Ruiz, GuillermoCalderón, Yturvides Vilches, OrlandoZayas and PedroRuiz and trombonists,Rafy Torres, Reynaldo Jorge, VictorCandelario, Julio Merced, HéctorMaldonado, Eliut Cintrón, Cuto Soto,Antonio Vázquez, Miguel Rivera, VictorVázquez, Daniel Fuentes, WilliamCepeda, José Berrios Raymundi,Gamalier González to discuss andshare their experiences with thestudents.

The second day included a guitarseminar with Vinny Valentino, a cuatroseminar with Pedro Guzmán, a pianoseminar with Axel Tosca, a bassseminar with John Benitez and a drumseminar with Francis Benitez.The three days of concerts were just asgood with some of the best PuertoRico jazz musicians; saxophonistJonathan Suazo Quintet, pianistManolo Navarro, Pedro Guzmán JibaroJazz Trio, the Music Conservatory JazzOrchestra masrefully directed byProfessor/Bassist Elias Santos-Celpa,Eddie Gomez Trio and closing withbassist John Benitez Quartet.

Wilbert Sostre

BLUES MUSICCHARACTERISTICS

The harmony andmelody sound of theblues bring us closer toour afro Caribbeanroots. Let’s take a lookat the structure of theblues.

The basic structure of theBlues contains 12 bars thatrepeats. The blues harmony has itsroots in the North AmericanGospel Church. The fundamental Blueschords are the I and IV. The Blues has a uniquemelody. The most used notes in theblues melody are from thepentatonic minor scaleimposed over Major orDominant chords. The pentatonic scale doesnot include half tonesfound from the 3rd to 4thgrade of the major diatonicscale. Extended chords used inBlues contain theaugmented ninth in thefirst dominant chord I 7 andthe ninth in thesubdominant chord IV 7

When using a major chordsome chromaticism mayhappen in the 4th gradeaugmented moving to the5th grade.

Prof. Irving Cancelirving.cancel@gmail.com

The following examplecontains the music writingof the points previouslydescribed, analize andexecute some of the bluesmusic form.

The harmony and melody soundof the blues bring us closer toour afro Caribbean roots.

JAZZIN' CDREVIEWS

Elias Santos Celpa - Antologia Antologia is a project by PuertoRico Music ConservatoryProfessor and Bassist EliasSantos Celpa. The recordingshowcase an incredible talent ofCelpa and his students on twodifferent formats and years. Thesextet recorded in 2010includes some musicians,Saxophonist Jonathan Suazo,percussionist Jhan LeeAponteporo, and drummerLeonardo Osuna, that five yearslater are already big names inthe Puerto Rico Jazz scene. Alltracks on this half are welldeveloped, originalscompositions by Elias SantosCelpa. The second half includes the jazzclassics Blue Monk, BeBop andCaravan and was recorded by anonet, on October 2013, withactual students of the MusicConservatory; trumpeter PedroRuiz, Saxophonist EmanuelBenjamín, Trombonist Kenny Ortiz,guitarist Rafael Quiñones, pianistCristina Díaz, drummer RubenCoca, percussionist RobertoBermudez, and Johnsito Rivera.

Rie Akagi = Cafe con Leche

It is so interesting thefascination some japanesepeople and especiallymusicians have with latinmusic. Flutist Ríe Akagi is agood example of that. But inthe case of Akagi is more thata fascination, sue really loveslatin music, as it can be heardon her new recording Cafécon Leche. The album, dedícated toPuerto Rico, includesexcellent interpretations ofTito Rodriguez Mama Guela,Tito Puente Fiesta a la King,and Mongo Santamaría AfroBlue plus Sentimiento de unLatino, a composition bymaster Puerto Rican trumpetplayer Luis Perico Ortiz, whoalso was the album musicaldirector and producer.

Furito Rios - Standard Bomba Bomba music, a Puerto Rican folkmusic, and Jazz had the same africanroots. So It is natural for a legend ofjazz music in Puerto Rico, saxophonistFurito Rios to fused the two musicforms on his most recent albumStandard Bomba.

The fusion feel se organic inthe arrangements and thevirtuosismo of Furito andcompany; bassist TonyBatista, drummer JimmyRivera, pianist Juan LuisAnglero and bomba drummerse (barriles de bomba) OmarSanchez and Hector Calderón. Each jazz standard was perfectlymatched with a Bomba rhythm;Bambula on Birdlike and Confirmation,Holande on Yes or No, Corve onCherokee, Sica on Hot House andFreedon Jazz Dance and Cuembe onSoftly as in the Morning Sunrise.

Wilbert Sostre

Elias Santos Celpa - Antologia.Rie Akagi - Cafe con Leche,Furito Rios Jazz Standard.